December 3, 2010

"Maybe parents are feeding into a victim, rescuer, persecutor role and really fostering the problem"
- Peter in the comments

Among younger kids, boys are just as likely as girls to have an eating disorder. Anorexia patients may even be as young as 7 years old, reports CNN. Dr. David Rosen, the lead author of an eating disorders paper in Pediatrics, says that the younger the patients, the more likely they're boys. He also says that in patients under 12, about half of the patients are boys. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality discovered a 119 percent rise in the number of hospitalizations for eating disorders in kids under 12 from 1999 to 2006. CNN tells the story of Eric Ostendorf, whose eating disorder began when he was 10. He'd flush his lunch down the toilet and constantly kick his knees in class. Determined to burn more calories than he took in, Eric also did 45 chin-ups in the school bathroom.

More people may soon qualify to receive Allergan's Lap-Band surgery as an FDA panel has voted that the Lap-Band's benefits exceed the risks in some obese people. MSNBC reports that the popular Lap-Band surgery may now be extended to people who are less obese than current standards for the surgery. Allergan's Lap-Band device is currently approved for about 15 million people with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 or those with a BMI of 35 and a medical problem like diabetes or hypertension. If the FDA decides to expand eligibility for the surgery to people with a lower BMI, an additional 27 million patients may be able to have the surgery.

"Proves to me that smoking is not the killer that pharma would like us all to believe."
- Marbee in the comments

Proving you're never too old to quit, Johannes Heesters, a Dutch-born actor and singer in Germany, has given up smoking for love at 106 years old! According to Yahoo News, Heesters says that his wife, 61-year-old German actress Simone Rethel, should have him around as long as possible. "I did it for love, for my wonderful wife," he told German entertainment magazine Bunte. Heesters, who has enjoyed a 90-year-long entertainment career, is better known as "Jopie." Heesters starred in the film "Die Fledermaus" in 1946, and the German film "The Moon Is Blue" in 1953.

Flu season may peak soon, and one in three Americans have already gotten their flu shot. According to the new CDC report released today, that rate is about the same or perhaps maybe a little ahead of seasonal flu shots given at this time last year. Flu season typically peaks between January and March. While a third of adults surveyed reported having already gotten the flu vaccine, 15 percent said they'd definitely get the vaccine, reports Chicago Tribune. Some adults are still apparently trying to decide: 25 percent said they probably would get the vaccine.

"This makes good sense from a biological standpoint too. The woman's chin position creates a demure countenance, while the man's creates a confident, assertive one."
- Marissa in the comments

How you tilt your head on a date just might affect whether you're viewed as attractive, say researchers at the University of Newcastle and Macquarie University in Australia. The research, reported in Evolutionary Psychology, found that a woman's face is judged as more feminine and attractive if tilted forward with a slight tipping down of the chin. The female face was viewed less favorably when tilted backwards, reports CBS News. Yet, male faces, which are typically viewed from below by women, were found more attractive when tilted back. For the study, participants viewed computer-generated, three-dimensional face models in five positions, rating them on masculinity, femininity and attractiveness.

Genetically modified "Arctic" apples will soon hit grocery stores, if Canada-based biotechnology company Okanagan Specialty Fruits has its way. Its GM apples will resist oxidation, which means they won't turn brown after they've been sliced. Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Gala and Fuji apples will be among the tree varieties to get the non-browning "Arctic" apple amendment. The Okanagan application is currently awaiting the stamp of approval from the U.S. and Canada.

In a new study, 77.5 percent of young people between the ages of 8 and 22 had trouble falling asleep when they used electronic technology at bedtime. These participants also experienced a higher rate of anxiety, learning difficulties and depression. The study, which tracked 40 children and young adults, indicates that participants sent an average of 33.5 e-mails or text messages each night during sleeping hours; their devices also woke them once per night on average. "The sooner parents establish appropriate times for children to use this technology, the better," says lead author Dr. Peter G. Polos.
Dr. Polos and his colleagues at the JFK Medical Center presented their findings from the pilot study at the American College of Chest Physicians' 2010 meeting.